Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Go and Tell...

THE TEXT we read for our
celebration of Easter comes to us from the Gospel According to Saint John. This
account, written in the latter days of the first century, brings to us the
startling announcement that caused initial confusion for the disciples… and the good
news through the Holy Spirit which brought clarity to the unfolding drama…

Now
on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it
was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So
she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus
loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do
not know where they have laid him.”

Peter then came out with the other disciple,
and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran
Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen
cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went
into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on
his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw
and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from
the dead.

Then the disciples went back to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look
into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus
had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why
are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken
away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Saying this, she
turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping? Whom do you seek?”

Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to
him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I
will take him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rab-boni!” (which means Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have
not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am
ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
(John 20:1-18)

Chaos
Reigns?

The scene at the Lord’s tomb immersed
everyone in confusion. Guards and authorities trembled. Though Jesus had repeatedly told the disciples what was
to occur, the women who discovered the empty tomb were startled and afraid. The men who they initially told, came with them to see… and left the scene
perplexed. They quickly retreated into hiding to talk about the happening. Subsequently, it seemsthat none
of Jesus’ followers could get things done in orderly fashion. First came
denial. Some may have thought, "Who could believe these wives tales”?" The world was turned inside out
and upside down. The women, those who were thought of in that society as property... were first to know... and not the men. In John’s
telling we see that the men themselves even reversed proper order, as the unknown and unnamed disciple
went into the tomb first, and the supposed leader followed. Indeed, chaos seemed to take hold. No one had previously done such as thing as coming back from the dead.
The very thought caused tumult…but the evidence was there... the tomb was indeed empty. Our gospel writer,
caught by the power of the Holy Spirit, thus revealed the Truth in near breathless
fashion. The discovery was certain that the tomb was empty. Things like that did not
happen… should not happen… but it did. Jesus, just as he had told the disciples… had
been raised from the dead.

After the men had left, tears fell from Mary’s eyes. They ran down her
cheeks when the impact sunk into her mind. The body of their beloved rabbi was gone. She went into the tomb to learn more. Suddenly
messengers were present. They told her that he had risen. And what is more, the tears
and blurry eyes of grief that would not allow her to visually recognize Jesus….
suddenly cleared as he spoke. It was he who was, and yet is God’s Word from the
beginning… who spoke to her. She heard and knew. That is the power of the
Word.

Clarity
Rules!

In that moment of recognition shared here by John and other Christian believers since the very first Easter morning,
Mary realized the Truth that stood before her. Jesus, the Way
the Truth and the Life… stood alive and spoke to her. In that precious moment,
in the singular breath that remains as the centerpiece of all human history… he told her to
go and tell the others. So she quickly ran to tell those who had retreated… those who
could only mutter and wonder. She went and did so… telling them of what she had
seen… and the world has not been the same since.“I have seen the Lord”, Mary said to the others
who were gathered. She boldly told those men who were afraid and hiding. Afterward, they and many others
would see him as well.

Thus we note from biblical history that eventually the report spread as the disciples wrote of it. We who now hear the gospel can marvel with them at the
message. The Holy Spirit provides the power of faith upon those who will hear. That which
was impossible is now possible. He who was finite is Infinite. The one who died
innocently upon a cross is alive. Jesus, the Christ… the Redeemer who was
lifted up on high, died so that we might be forgiven and justified before God. Certainly, Jesus is
alive forevermore. He has instructed his church to go and tell others that he
has Risen. That is what Mary heard. That is what the disciples heard. That is
what we now have also heard, and we are to do the same. We are to go and tell others… He
has Risen… Risen indeed.